BEST VISUAL DESIGN

RUNNER-UP CHUCHEL

Developer/publisher Amanita Design Format Android, iOS, PC It’s all in the animation, really. Jaromír Plachý distils the essence of Buster Keaton and Pingu into one angry, cherry-coveting scribble, who yells, guffaws and gets stretched, smashed and deformed across 30 comic skits. Amanita’s craft can be seen in every frame, precision-tooled for maximum hilarity, while its world’s spiky, surreal edges prevent it lapsing into twee whimsy.

RUNNER-UP RETURN OF THE OBRA DINN

Developer/publisher 3909 LLC Format PC

Red Dead might have the edge in fidelity, but Lucas Pope’s “insurance adventure” is equally transportive, its images of violent ends at once fascinating, horrifying and oddly moving. The occasional lack of clarity brought about by its striking, singular ‘1bit’ aesthetic only adds to its mysteries, though its details, big and small, are crucial to solving them. Vivid and distinctive.

WINNER RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

Developer/publisher Rockstar Games Format PS4, Xbox One There’s a custom animation for everything, whether you’re blowing the head off a rival, stalking an elk through the undergrowth or grabbing a pitchfork to clean up cowpats. And it all takes place in an exquisitely rendered, immaculately lit, vast and staggeringly detailed world. Say what you want about the controls. This is the new best-looking game of all time.